Album Notes

Chicago’s Soft Targets was formed as a three piece in 2004 by guitarist Chris Auman after the breakup of local punk band Reagan National Crash Diet. Although a series of personnel changes limited the band's ability to play out for much of 2005, the addition of ex-Seam guitarist, Reg Shrader, in late 2005 solidified the groups sound sending it in a more indie rock direction. In early 2006 RoosterCow Records released the seven inch single “(Let it) Ricochet” b/w “Straight Line” with Perry Finch on drums (ex-Vambo Marble Eye) and Tim Davison (The Clerics) on bass. Perry left shortly after and was replaced by former Lustre King drummer Dave Potter.

On the verge of losing yet another bass player, Soft Targets went into the Steve Albini’s Electrical studio in August ‘06 to record five songs to document the current incarnation of the band’s ever changing line-up. Recorded by engineer Kris Poulin, the five tracks on Whatever Happened to Soft Targets? show a range of styles, from the shoe-gazing of “Returning” to the reggae guitar riffs of “Crushed” and the western instrumental of “Clearing the Brush (on Brokeback Mountain)”.

Dan Kiss joined the group on bass in September 2006, shifting the sound and direction of the band yet again. Whatever Happened to Soft Targets? is what happened to Soft Targets in a brief period in the band’s history, but the story is still unfolding.